And william p



B. D. HORTON AND W. P. HAMMOND.

ELECTBICA'L SWITCH. APPLICATION FIILED MAR. 20 I919.

Reissued Aug. 31, 1 920.

2 v. f 1 LE fie. Z

UNITED? STATES asteur OFFICE...

BRYSON HORTON, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, AND WILLIAM-P. HAMMOND, OF

' PASSAIG, NEW JERSEY; SAID HAMMOND ASSIGNOR TO SAID HORTON.

ELECTRICAL SWITCH.

Specification of Reissued Letters Patent. Reissued Aug. 31, 1920,

Original No. 1,187,911 dated June 20, 1916, Serial No. 826,843, filed March 24,1914. Application for reissue filed March 20, 1919. Serial No. 283,931.

T ll whom it may concern:

" and IVILLIAM P. HAMMOND, citizens of they mize life hazard.

' Be it known that we, BRYSON D. Hon'roiv- United States, residing. at Detroit, in the county of 'IVayne and State of Michigan,

andjjat Passaic, in the county of-Passaic and State-"of New Jersey, respectively, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrical Switches, of which the following is a full, clear, and concise description thereof, such as would enableothers skilled in the art to which the invention appertains to make and use the same, reference bemg,

hadto the accompanying sheets of drawings, which form a part hereof.

Our invention particularly relates to certain improvements in that type of electrical switchescommonly referred to as protected or armor-clad In switches of this type, the operable parts of the switch mechanism are housed within a metal casing,-the

stationary contacts usually being mounted upon the base of the casing, while the parts carrying the movable contacts are reciprocably 'mounted therein and operated by an exterior crank journaled -in the side of the casing. The moving parts of the switch mechanism, in these prior art switches are operated independently of any opening movement imparted to the cover of the receptacle, that is to say, the throwing off of the knife contacts is not dependent upon the opening of the cover but requires manipulation independent thereof. I

One of the objects of our present invention is to provide means whereby the movement of the movably mounted knife contacts of the switch may be incident upon the opening of the cover of the receptacle so as to assure the breaking of the electrical circuit when access is being had .to the interior of the receptacle. In this way we eliminate the possibility of exposing the live metal parts to the hand of-the operator through carelessness or thoughtlessness on his part whenmanipulating the switch and thereby mini- Another object'of our invention is to provide means whereby the closing of the switch mechanism may be incident upon the closing of the cover of the receptacle.

The mechanism which we have devised for carrying out the above objects combines the additional feature of permitting the manipulation of the switch mechanism independently of the cover movement so that when the cover is sealed closed the switch may be thrown 3 v on exterior operating crank. y

In the accompanying drawings we have illustrated by way of example, a suitable embodiment of our inventioniin which Figure 1 illustrates in vertical cross-sec: tion an armor clad switch, partly in section, the switch contacts'being in their on position and the cover carrying actuating latch mechanism in its normal cooperative position.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary detail of the same mechanism showing the cover carrying latch mechanism after it has been operated to release the cover from the switch mechanism,

1 the cover. being partly opened and in posior off by means of the tion to be fully opened independently of when it is desired to throw the switch ofi simultaneously with opening the cover. This handle 5 for compactness and convenience may be pivotally mounted so that it may be folded downwardly as shown.

The switch'mechanism may consistofa pair of suitable stationary jaw contacts 6 mounted upon a base of insulating materia 7, which in turn are mounted rigid upon the bottom of the casing 1. Cooperating with these jaw contactsare a pair of knife blade contacts ,8, connected by a cross-head 9, and mounted ,to reciprocatev as the switch is thrown on or off. To provide for this reciprocation, the cross-head 9 is provided with a pair ofsleeves 10, whichsurround -and reciprocate along a pair of guide rods 11 mounted at their ldwer ends. in the indesirable to effect a quick make and break 0 latch mechanism in the posi erating mechanism 14, which need not be particularly described other than-to say that the spring energy of the springs is expended g to move the movable contacts rapidly as they approach orleave the stationary con-' tacts. No specific claim is made herein for this accelerating feature. In order to operate the switch, a rock shaft 15 is journaled in the side of the casing 1 and has connected thereto exterior of the casing, a suitprovided with a pair of arms 17 which have operable connection with the cross-head 9.

This connection is a yielding connection in-- dicated at 18 and one which serves to further accelerate the make and break move 'ment between the switch contacts.

This need not be particularly described either as it forms no part of the present invention.

-We will now proceed to describe the mech-.,

- anism by which the cover and switch mechanismare cooperatively associated. Formed integral with or mounted upon the lower side of the cover 2 of the receptacle is a rigid. depending member 18, upon the free end'of which is pivotally mounted at 19 a trigger member,20. This trigger is provided with a foot 21 which cooperates with a pin or projection 22 fast upon and carried by one of the'arms 17 7 Vhen the" mecha-- nism'is in the position shown in Fig. 1 and the cover of the receptacle closed, the foot 21 is beneath the pin 22, so that as the cover is raised, the trigger 20- causes the switch arm' 17 to'inaugurate "its circuit breaking movement. The cooperative engagement beneath the foot 21 and pin 22 continues until the accelerating springs 14 and their 'asso-- ciated connecting devices pass theirlongitudinal or dead center position, whereupon the arm 17 is given a very rapid movement. \Vhen this occurs, the pin 22 passes from the path of movement of the foot 21 owing to the different arcs which these two members transcribe in theirmovements, thus clearing or freeing. themselves from each other. The throwing off of the switch mech- 1 anism is accomplished simultaneously with the opening of the cover of the receptacle,

so that there is no possibility of an ignorant.

laborer or unthinking person coming in contact with the live metal parts of the switch. In order to provide for the closing of the switch and make-this closing movement incident upon the closing of the cover of the receptacle, a foot or projection 23 is provided. This may, if desired, be formed integral with the depending member 18. This foot 23 cooperates with the pin or projection 24, the latter being the connecting pivot point of the arm: 17 with the accelerating mechanism heretofore mentioned. It is ob-- vious from the indicated arcs or paths of relative movements of the foot 23 and pin tion 24, (when in the dotted line position a.)

and will cause arm 17 to descend. The enga'gement oi the :foot2 3f. and projection 24 continuesiintil the springs of the accelerat ing mechanism 14 move past their dead center'line or'longi'tudinal position. hen this occurs, the-movement} of {the arm 17.; continues under the. powerfof thexpanding able operating crank 16. The rock shaft is 1 beneath the projection 22. When the switch mechanism is in the posi- "tion shown in Fig. 1 with the cover closed,

the. same'may be freely operated to make or break conhection between the contacts by operating the crank 16/ The foot 23, it'will be noted, is out of the vertical path oi movement oft he projection 24 and theprojection 22"moves past and inwardly of "the extension 26 as the. latter is curved 'outwardly at 26 to permit of this. e.

In case it should be desired to open the cover of the'receptacle'without throwing the switch mechanism ofl, means for doing so is shown. This ymeans may comprise a plunger 25' reciprocally mounted in the receptacle cover 2.- The lower end of' this plungenhas a pivoted connection with the.

pro ection 26 formed-as an integral part of the trigger '20.

' 7 indicates a knob or hand piece upon the endof the rod 25 and interposed between this knob and the top of the casing is a spiral compression spring 28 which bears with tension on these parts, tending normally to hold the pivoted trigger 20 in its indicated position in Fig. 1-. TR is apparent that upon a depression of the rod 25, the trigger 20 is caused to oscillate upon its pivot 19. During this oscillatio'nthe foot 21 is caused to move free of the projection 22's0 that the lid of the. cover may be raised,

while the switch mechanism remains in its on position. When the cover is closed, the angular face 29 of the trigger 20 engages the pin or projection 22. In this engagement, the trigger 20 is, caused to oscil late, so that under continued downward pressure,.the angular face 29 rides past the pin 22 and snaps into its normal position shown in Fig. 1. r j I Themechanis'm 'which'has been just described, for the purpose of allowing the cover to be opened without throwing the switch mechanism ofi, is not our joint into this mechanism as a joint invention.

We cla1m: 4 1. In combination with a houslng pro- .vention, and we therefore make no claim j yided with a hinged cover, a switch mechanism therein including movable and stationary cooperating contact-s, means for freely operating the switch mechanism to make or break the clrcuit without opening the receptacle and switch actuating devices carried.

by thecover normally engaging the switch mechanism whereby the switch mechanism is thrown to its off position during the opening movement of the cover, and means for closing said switch during the closing movement of'the cover.

' 2. A switch mechanism including a metallic housing provided with a hinged cover,

a switch mechanism therein, comprising stationary and movable cooperating contacts a cross-head connecting said movable contacts, a rock-arm connected with said crosshead, a latch mechanism carried by the cover cooperating with said cross-head whereby. the switch mechanism may be operated to make or break connection without opening the cover and whereby said switch mechanism may be automatically operated to im'ake or break the circuit when the cover is opened or closed as the case might be. BRYSON' D. HORTON.

WILLIAM P. HAMMOND. 

